Gombe’s away form worries Cooreman

Maurice Cooreman has admitted Gombe United’s poor away form last season is giving him cause for concern as he prepares for the 2013/14 season.

Despite boasting a near perfect home record in the Glo Premier League, the Savannah Scorpions did not win a single point on the road.

Cooreman said he had fortified his team and is looking forward to better form on the road next season. However, he insisted the referees still have a role to play in deciding the faith of away teams.

“Though we are entering a new season, we are looking at improving on our form in away matches because we aim to do better than we did last season,” Cooreman told supersport.com.

“We have fortified the squad with eight new players and I’m confident we can go a step further to clinch a continental ticket. It is important to have the materials to match your ambitions, but we also know it takes more than a team’s ability to do well in away games in Nigeria.

“It is very difficult because most of the time you are also playing against the referee. A book can be written about how referees favour the home teams in Nigeria.

“There were a couple of matches we deserved to take points from that we lost.

“I asked a friend in FIFA if there was a solution to it, but he said it was CAF that could take steps to check the menace.

“I have put heads together with the other coaches at the club to ensure there is an improvement from last season.

“The best we can do as coaches is to prepare the team well, and take it from there when the season starts.

“We hope for better officiating and more favourable results on the road this time.”

Gombe United finished in seventh position in the 20-team Glo League last season with 55 points.